Electric stimilator for alpha-wave derivation

• US 7,386,347 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2003
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jong-Pil Chung
• Original Assignee: Jong-Pil Chung
• Inventors: Chung, Jong-Pil, Kim, Ye-Won, Kang, Sung-Min, Lee, Chong-Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaetzle; Kennedy J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel; Natasha
• Application Number:
  US10/519,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 607/1, 607/2, 607/37, 607/38, 607/60, 607/62, 607/118, 607/148, 607/156, 607/45, 600/554, 600/322, 600/347, 439/909
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0072 with application of electrical currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0662 Ears
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0408 Use-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0472 Structure-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/32 alternating or intermittent currents applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36025 for treating a mental or cerebral condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36036 of the outer, middle or inner ear

Abstract

An electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation is characterized in that frequency selected from a range of 1 Hz to 50 Hz, preferably, 7 Hz to 14 Hz, and an output voltage are applied to auricle of a patient'"'"'s ears to derive alpha-waves, and that cycle and intensity of stimulation are varied depending upon body temperature and blood sugar. Prompt reaction may be obtained by directly applying the voltage to the ears, and the reaction may continue when stimulation is extended. In addition, it is suitable to treat various diseases having common cause due to stress or arousal reaction in the human body.

Claims

1. An electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation comprising:

a control section including;

a key input unit for supporting user operation;

a microprocessor for setting a frequency, a voltage, a cycle and an operation time according to a key input signal transferred from the key input unit, for controlling an output of the frequency and voltage according to the set data, for determining whether the outputted frequency and voltage are applied to an ear of a user, for performing a switching of a wire/wireless mode by determining whether a jack is connected to an electric stimulating unit, for outputting a transmitting signal to wirelessly transmit a setting data after a predetermined time, when the wireless mode is switched, and for outputting a turn-on/off signal corresponding to an alarm signal and the turn-on/off signal indicative of a wire/wireless mode control state;

a control-side transmitter/receiver for transmitting the setting data according to the transmitting signal and transmitting/receiving input/output data;

an oscillator for oscillating at a frequency of 1 Hz to 50 Hz according to a frequency output control; and

a connector connected to the jack and connected to the microprocessor for determining the wire/wireless state according to variations of input current value;

a connecting line connecting the connector with the jack and transferring the frequency and voltage from the jack to the electric stimulating unit; and

the electric stimulating unit including;

a contacting terminal connected to the connecting line and adapted to contact an auricle of vagus nerves of the ear;

a wire/wireless detecting unit interposed between the connecting line and the contacting terminal for detecting the wire/wireless mode state according to whether it is connected to the jack or not;

a remote control unit for determining the wire/wireless mode state, for controlling operation of the electric stimulating unit itself, in the case of the wireless mode, and for controlling the frequency and voltage according to the set data transmitted from the control-side transmitter/receiver;

a transmitter/receiver communicating with the control-side transmitter/receiver for transmitting the input/output data to the remote control unit;

an oscillator for supplying the frequency to the remote control unit; and

a battery for supplying an electric power to the remote control unit.

2. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oscillator oscillates at 7 Hz to 14 Hz.

3. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a non-contact detector for detecting whether the electric stimulating unit is non-contacted to the ear by use of charge accumulation flowing though the jack of the control unit to output the result to the microprocessor.

4. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 3, further comprising, in order to prevent electric short circuit when the contact state based on the signal transmitted from the non-contact detecting unit is determined,

a variable resistor R1 forming a closed circuit together with the contact terminal for performing a voltage drop according to a resultant resistance value;

a voltage comparator COM for comparing a voltage generated by the resultant resistance value with a predetermined reference voltage;

a switch TR1 switched according to the comparison results of the voltage comparator COM;

a capacitor C2 discharged by the switch TR1 to transmit a signal notifying whether there is normality or not to the microprocessor; and

an electric power control unit, in which the electric power control unit determines the normality when the capacitor C2 is discharged, and interrupts supply of a direct current, and in which the voltage drop only occurs by the variable resistance R1 when the capacitor C2 is not discharged.

5. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor further includes an A/D converter and a D/A converter for converting the signal inputted/outputted to/from the electric stimulating unit.

6. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor further includes a timer operating according to setting data comprising a cycle and operation time.

7. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting line has a jack at both ends of the connecting line, the jack detached to the connector and electric stimulating unit.

8. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an alarm for outputting an alerting sound, when an alarm signal is outputted according to the determining result of voltage application to the ear.

9. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display for displaying a set value according to a key input signal transmitted from the key input unit, and for outputting or lighting an operation state.

10. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric stimulating unit has a body temperature detecting unit configured to be easily inserted in an external auditory meatus, so as to detect a signal for determining body temperature using an infrared processing module, and the body temperature detecting unit has a drilled top surface to receive an infrared signal.

11. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 10, wherein the infrared processing module includes a filtering portion and an infrared detecting portion, in which a sensing region is enclosed by a silicon window having a long pass filter, through which only infrared radiation emitted from the external auditory meatus is passed, and in which a front of the sensing region is enclosed by a proper infrared bandpass filter having a spectrum characteristic to a radiation line, which is a radiation of a particular wavelength, of a measured analyte.

12. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric stimulating unit has a blood sugar detecting unit configured to be easily inserted in an external auditory meatus, so as to detect a signal for determining blood sugar using an infrared processing module, and the body temperature detecting unit has a drilled top surface to receive an infrared signal.

13. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 12, wherein the infrared processing module includes a filtering portion and an infrared detecting portion, in which a sensing region is enclosed by a silicon window having a long pass filter, through which only infrared radiation emitted from the external auditory meatus is passed, and in which a front of the sensing region is enclosed by a proper infrared bandpass filter having a spectrum characteristic to a radiation line, which is a radiation of a particular wavelength, of a measured analyte.

14. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric stimulating unit has a body temperature/blood sugar detecting unit configured to be easily inserted in an external auditory meatus, so as to detect a signal for determining body temperature and blood sugar using an infrared processing module, and the body temperature detecting unit has a drilled top surface to receive an infrared signal.

15. The electric stimulator for alpha-wave derivation as claimed in claim 14, wherein the infrared processing module includes a filtering portion and an infrared detecting portion, in which a sensing region is enclosed by a silicon window having a long pass filter, through which only infrared radiation emitted from the external auditory meatus is passed, and in which a front of the sensing region is enclosed by a proper infrared bandpass filter having a spectrum characteristic to a radiation line, which is a radiation of a particular wavelength, of a measured analyte.